Music

Being a part of the music community in Minnesota is a gift to every artist, listener and participant. The stage of Vieux Carré is rich with history and whispers of musicians past. Today the tradition continues with a varied schedule highlighting local talents in many different genres with a focus on jazz, soul, blues, and the magic of each. Patrons and artists share the room to commune in the celebration of life and each other.

Annie and the Bang Bang

December 2, 2017 @ 9:00 pm - 11:55 pm

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Annie is a song and dance man in an open relationship with music. She longs for temporary amnesia and all it brings. She could be a musician, a photographer, actress, concubine, weapons manufacturer, or a rocket scientist wearing a really cool apron from the fifties. She can appreciate the concept of the “proximity fuse” for both its ring and metaphoric pizazz, and enjoys the commitment that truly red lipstick demands. She listens to her favorite songs over and over again, dooming them to love, and likes the smell of books, even new ones. She believes songwriting is an act of spiritual archeology and so sifts through words to find bones of song, telling stories about being a person in a world full of people. Annie relies on the artistry, thick invention, and dig-right-down-into-it-ness of the Bang Bangs: the stacked chording and “just what the song wants” guitar of John Riedlinger, the stealthy bass-shark that is Tom Penney, and the heavy adventure and sharp-corner-turning of new drummer, Mike Kittel (the band thanks Chadly Koppenhaver who gave much, but wanted to move on).

The band values energy, theatricality, animal intelligence, beautiful mischief that holds some truth, and the mild perversion of total frankness. They’re alt rock grunge meets late 60s dark rock, if you must know, with something heavier thrown in, like a chocolate anvil.

with Leslie Rich & Rocket Soul Choir

Leslie Rich, guitar
Pete Boulger, drums
Jason Wahl, bass

Leslie grew up in Belfast in the 70’s, when it was the norm to have soldiers patrolling the streets and to be searched by a heavily armed police force just to go shopping downtown.

He turned to music to stay out of trouble and started performing solo shows in many of the city’s bars. He was privileged enough to open for many of his idols over that time. In 1994 The Rocket Soul Choir was formed, growing a following and releasing two albums on Northern Ireland’s, Immortal Recordings label – 1999’s Geek Love and 2001’s The Written Lie. This version of the band toured Ireland, the UK and Scandinavia.

On a solo trip through the Midwest back in 1997 he met Jason Wahl and Michael Jorgensen from the band Homo Jenkins and they started to perform together off and on as the RSC. This was a major factor in Leslie’s decision to emigrate in 2004 and now considers Minneapolis to be his home.

During the years since emigrating, Leslie became the principal songwriter, guitarist and singer for bands like A Little Of The Ready and the Celtic folk band, Hounds Of Finn. Jason and Michael meanwhile went on to join Minnesota punk band, The Skullcranes, but in October 2014 Jason and Leslie started to talk again about the RSC. Jason suggested Minneapolis music scene stalwart, Pete Boulger, who had been introduced earlier while drumming for Church Of Cash.